"You sure you're fine?" Ethan asked.
"About what?" I questioned back, slowly wearing a black zipper over a grey shirt. A grey jogger with a navy pattern and black sports shoes. A casual outfit to stay comfortable. My wounds are all closed now; pain relievers are surely doing a perfect job.
"Just last night you received two gunshots. You should be resting, eating tasteless food nurses give, and yet here you are inside your home, preparing to leave for another country," he said.
"You make it sound like I'm the only one that's leaving," I added.
"These trolley bags of mine are definitely not empty, and your car's boot space is definitely not filled with stacks of papers and files," he said, looking at the bags kept at the gate of my room. They were his bags. My stuff is already on the plane, which was sent by Tommy.
"Alright. All set," I said, looking into the mirror. I reached 6'2". Pale skin, perfect face. I sometimes feel proud of my father.
"Let's move then," Ethan said as we moved out of my house and got inside the sports sedan, which he parked beforehand outside. I obviously am not allowed to be on the driving side.
He revved the engine, and I reached towards the stereo.
"Not Metal," he said.
"Dubstep?" I asked.
"Can't you listen to something soothing to the ears?"
"Phonk it is then," I said, connecting my phone to the stereo.
"Shut the fuck up," he grunted and added, "Count Your Blessings by Mattiel."
"Ah—You got taste after all."
"So… you read the files?" Ethan asked.
"About the case? I did. Feels like defamation. If the word gets out, that is," I replied.
"Defamation? Now that you say it. I never thought of it that way. So that means you think that your client is innocent?" Ethan asked.
"I don't really care about that. Whether she is innocent or a cold-blooded murderer or whatever the reason is," I replied.
"You know I heard something about Korea long ago," Ethan stated.
"And that is?" I asked.
"People in law enforcement there… They are not naive but irritating. While overall case opinion may turn positive if an attorney from a different country is representing the defendant and suppresses biases, these guys, I don't know, they're going to be irritating," Ethan stated his thoughts.
"Complications are given. Yara Choi, is it? A rising K-pop star. People die for them," I added and continued…
"Most of them are sick. You call it fan loyalty; I call it a disease if you ask me. Most of these stars are required to stay single. Why is it that all the K-pop stars—the popular ones, I mean—are fair, beautiful, delicate, or whatnot? Call it racial, but rationality among them is not something you'll find easily."
"Well… that's one way to put it," Ethan said.
"I don't think of people as 'people' when it comes to cases. I'd rather avoid that. Think of it as a game. Now in the game of Yara Choi, I can make a guess that we're going to have to deal with ten types of people," I said.
"Ten types?"
"Yes, ten. Opportunists, insiders, the deceased's inner circle, perpetrators, law enforcement, the anonymous ones, neutral observers, competitors, the public, and investigative journalists."
"... Okay… And who do you think is going to be a major pain in the ass?" Ethan asked.
"Opportunists. They are the group that is the most dangerous," I replied.
"Opportunists, huh? If things are already south by the time we reach there, I think we're going to get entangled in some pretty irritating shit."
"Haha… Never hope for the best. Who is the contracted attorney?" I asked with a chuckle.
"The one primarily representing Yara Choi is Eun-Ji Han. Twelve years of legal practice in Korea, with a strong focus on high-profile criminal defense cases and cases involving the entertainment industry. Graduated with honors from Seoul National University Law School, specializing in criminal law and corporate litigation," Ethan replied and continued…
"Earned the nickname 'Iron Silk' for her blend of diplomacy and assertiveness in court."
"Iron Silk?" I asked. "Flashy."
"You're one to talk, 'The Untouchable,'" Ethan replied.
"… …"
"Did you get the approval of KNPA to bring firearms into Korea?" I asked.
"We're not taking our guns along!"
"Why's that?" I asked.
"First, it's not that simple. Rules about firearms are a lot more complicated, and getting an approval, even through our firm, could take time. You can just buy one there and keep it off the records for personal safety," Ethan suggested.
"I'm not insecure; it could've just helped intimidate a few people," I replied.
"I hear you," and he was not buying that. Can't blame myself for being paranoid after that attempt last night.
The ride to the airport was accompanied by boring music. He could've at least played trap. Walking past the terminal and with Ethan dragging the luggage along, we reached our black private jet with Caldwell & Associates' logo in white letters.
"It's going to be a long ride. Better if you review everything," Ethan said, taking a seat on the sofa.
"How long?" I asked.
"Twelve hours," he replied.
|---- 14 Hours Later|
"Well… at least we have a decent car here," I muttered, looking at the black sedan in front of me.
"It's a luxury vehicle," Ethan replied.
"Still an electric," I added.
"For your peace of mind. Not like you'll get to drive any car for the next four months," Ethan said as the driver, a Korean man in his mid-forties, kept our luggage in the boot space.
"Four months? You know I can drive a car right now without any problem, don't you?" I argued.
"The moment that seatbelt touches anywhere near your abdomen, you're done for," Ethan replied.
"Well, I'll just not wear one."
"You are a criminal lawyer, need I remind you?" That's not arguable now, is it?
"I thought Ms. Eun-Ji was supposed to receive us?" I muttered.
"That was the case, but the forensic reports for the case are out now, and she's out there helping Yara Choi," Ethan added.
"When was Evelyn murdered?" I asked.
"The night you got those gunshots," Ethan replied.
"Can't you stop mentioning my wounds from time to time?" I requested.
"No."
"… …"
"So what does the report say?" I asked.
"I just told you, didn't I? 'Now.' The report was out now. That means Eun-Ji is yet to review it, let alone forward it by scanning the document," Ethan said.
"You talk like that one more time, and you're on my hit list," I said, looking into Ethan's eyes.
"Ok."
"Change routes. We're going where Eun-Ji is. To see Yara Choi," I said, and Ethan nodded.
"Eun-Ji is not with Yara right now; she's at her office. I'll set up a meeting and ask her to be there with Yara," Ethan suggested.
"Fine. How long till we reach her suite?" I asked.
"Yara Choi? An hour and a half, maybe."
"Can we get a burger meal along the way?" Burgers and coffee. I often get cravings for them.
"Mc?"
"Perfect."